Carton sealer

ABSTRACT

A machine for sealing the closure and dust flaps of a carton includes an endless conveyor for advancing the cartons with the closure flaps open and the dust flaps closed. A frame is supported for rocking about a transverse axis above the advancing cartons and carries a pair of transversely spaced transversely adjustable glue-applying devices at one end and a counterweight at the other end so that the gluing devices are normally depressed to an adjustable level slightly below the dust flaps. Each gluing device includes a liquid glue tank having a bottom opening and a glue applicator roll registering with and depending below the opening and having glue transferring wells in its outer face. The rolls are rotated about a transverse axis at a peripheral speed about equal to the conveyor speed. Following the glue applicators are guides for closing the closure flaps against the dust flaps and an upper belt for maintaining them in a closed position during the setting of the glue.

United States Patent [191 Mazur 1 June 11, 1974 [22] Filed:

[ 1 CARTON SEALER Edward Mazur, Closter, N.Y.

[73] Assignee: A. D. A. Machine Corp., Brooklyn,

[75] Inventor:

May 15, 1972 211 Appl. No.: 253,313

Primary Examiner-Edward G. Whitby Attorney, Agent, or Firm-William R. Liberman [5 7] ABSTRACT A machine for sealing the closure and dust flaps of a carton includes an endless conveyor for advancing the cartons with the closure flaps open and the dust flaps closed. A frame is supported for rocking about a transverse axis above the advancing cartons and carries a pair of transversely spaced transversely adjustable glue-applying devices at one end and a counterweight at the other end so that the gluing devices are normally depressed to an adjustable level slightly below the dust flaps. Each gluing device includes a liquid glue tank having a bottom opening and a glue applicator roll registering with and depending below the opening and having glue transferring wells in its outer face. The rolls are rotated about a transverse axis at a peripheral speed about equal to the conveyor speed. Following the glue applicators are guides for closing the closure flaps against the dust flaps and an upper belt for maintaining them in a closed position during the setting of the glue.

1] Claims, 6 Drawing Figures CARTON SEALER BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates generally to improve ments in the sealing of cartons and it relates particularly to an improved apparatus for gluing the confronting faces of a carton closure and dust flaps.

In conventional machines for adhesively sealing the closure and dust flaps of a product-containing carton, the glue is applied to the opposite end borders of the inside face of each closure flap for a distance approximately equal to or slightly less than the width of the dust flaps, and the closure flaps are then folded into superimposition with the dust flaps to effect their mutual adhesion in closed condition. The machines heretofore available for sealing cartons in the above manner are highly complex and expensive and quite unreliable and usually require frequent servicing and maintenance thereby greatly to increase the operating costs thereof. These machines generally employ complicated sensing devices which commonly need adjustment and repair, and the machines possess numerous other drawbacks and disadvantages and leave much to be desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore a principal object of the present invenvide an improved mechanism for applying glue to the areas of carton closure and dust flaps which overlap when the flaps are in their closed condition without the use of position sensing devices.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a machine of the above nature characterized by its reliability, ruggedness, simplicity, ease of operation and high versatility and adaptability.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof.

In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of an apparatus for applying adhesive to a carton closure flap comprising a conveyor for advancing the carton along a longitudinal path with the surface of the closure flap to which the adhesive is applied being exposed and facing upwardly, an adhesive applicator member located above the conveyor in the path of the carton and being movable upwardly from a predetermined level below the level of the top of the carton in response to engagement thereof by the advanc' ing carton and being urged downwardly with a predetermined force, and means for feeding a liquid adhesive to the applicator member.

In the preferred form of the improved apparatus of the present invention the carton conveyor is of the endless type, such as a pair of transversely spaced parallel sprocket chains driven by engaging sprocket wheels along an upper longitudinal advancing run from afeed end to a discharge end. Flap closing guide elements are located at an advanced conveyor point and are followed by an upper longitudinally extending advancing belt for maintaining the flaps in a closed position during the setting of the glue. The liquid glue or adhesive applying mechanism is located between the belt feed end and the flap closing guide elements and includes a longitudinally extending frame supported for rocking about a transverse axle mounted between a pair of transversely spaced posts. A pair of transversely spaced liquid glue applying devices are mounted on the leading end of the frame and are transversely adjustable. Each glue applying device includes a glue tank having an opening in its bottom engaged by a glue applying wheel or roll rotatable about a transverse axis and having a bottom face below the bottom of the tank, the peripheral face of the wheel having wells formed therein for picking up glue from the tank and transferring it to any surface over which the wheel rolls. The glue transfer rolls are positively rotated by a chain drive at a peripheral speed substantially equal to that of the conveyor advance. The trailing end of the frame is counterweighted so that the glue applying devices normally move downwardly with a predetermined force and are easily moved upwardly by the advancing carton, and adjustable stops are provided for effecting the upward and downward limits of movements of the glue applying devices.

The improved carton sealing machine is of simple and rugged construction, obviating the need for any complex position sensing mechanism, is highly reliable in its operation and is of great versatility and adjustability.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view, partially fragmented, of a carton sealing machine constructed according to and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a carton handled by the improved machine, illustrating the closure flaps in open position and glue applied to the infolded dust flaps;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the machine;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4 4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 5 Sin FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 6 6 in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, reference numeral 10 generally designates the improved machine which is employed in sealing cartons 11 which are of conventional construction and are provided with opposite inner or dust flaps 12 and outer or closure flaps 13, which are hinged to the upper edges of the carton sidewalls 14 and end walls 16 respectively and extend for the full lengths thereof. In the closed condition of carton 11 the inner confronting edges of dust flaps 12 are separated by a wide space whereas the inner confronting edges of flaps 13 are almost in abutment with each other. Machine 10 functions to advance filled cartons l0 longitudinally with closure flaps 13 open and dust flaps l2 closed, to apply glue to the upper exposed faces of dust flaps l2 and then to fold closure flaps into superimposition over dust flaps 12 so that they are sealed by the glue in their closed positions to dust flaps 12, as will be hereinafter described.

Machine comprises a support structure including a pair of longitudinally extendng transversely spaced parallel channel members 17 suitably interconnected and mounted atop a plurality of vertical legs 18. An endless conveyor 19 having a top run advancing from the rightto the left as viewed'in FIGS. 1 and 3 is defined by a pair of transversely spaced parallel longitudinal sprocket chains 20. Each sprocket chain 20 extends between and is engaged at its opposite ends by sprocket wheels 21, pairs of transversely spaced sprocket wheels 21 being mounted on transverse shafts 22 at opposite ends of conveyor 19, shafts 22 being driven to rotate sprocket wheels 21 and advance the conveyor 19 along its upper run. The upper run of each sprocket chain 20 rides upon corresponding tracks 23 located; atop a cross member 24 supported between channel members 17. A pair of longitudinally extending medially transversely spaced carton guide bars 26 are positioned between channel members 17 above conveyor 19.

A pair of transversely spaced vertical columns 27, which may be of adjustable height, are suitably mounted atop channel members 17 by means of bracket base plates 28. On the top confronting. faces of columns 27 proximate their tops, there are mounted, as by welding, a pair of transversely axially aligned bearing blocks 29 which support a transverse axle or pivot 30 a distance above the tops of cartons 11 transported by conveyor 19. A longitudinally extending transverse mounting frame 32 is rockably supported by axle 30.

Mountingframe '32 includes a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending vertical side plates 33 having transversely aligned apertures and collar members 34 welded to the confronting faces of plates 33 and rotatably engaging axle 30, the outer faces of plates 33 abutting blocks 29. A counter-weight-defining cross bar 36 extends between and is bolted to the trailing upper corners of plates 33, and a track-defining flat horizontal bar 37 extends between and is bolted to the front lower corners of opposite frame plates 33. In order to limit the rocking angle of mounting frame 32, outwardly directed abutment plates 38 are bolted to the bottom edges of frame plates 33 and extend to opposite sides of each post 27. Affixed to the inner face of each post 27 andunderlying a corresponding abutment plate 38 is a horizontal bracket plate 39 having vertical tapped bores which are engaged by adjustable stop defining leading and trailing screws 40 and 41 respectively whose upper ends confront the underface of plate 38 on opposite sides of axle 30. Thus, the lower rocking limit of the leading end of frame 32 is adjusted by adjusting leading screws 40, and the upper limit thereof is adjusted by adjusting screws 41.

Slidably supported by track 37 for individual transverse adjustment are a pair of symmetrically similarly shaped liquid glue applying assemblies 42. Each assembly 42 comprises a longitudinally extending bar 43 of inverter T-shaped transverse cross section including a bottom horizontal web 44 resting on and extending across the top face of track 37 and a medial vertical web 46. Secured to and depending from the underface of web 44 are a pair of opposing transversely extending follower-defining L-shaped bars 47 retaining the bar 43 on track 37 for sliding movement along the length of track' 37, each follower including a vertical leg 48 abut- 4 ting an edge of track 37 and an inwardly projecting leg 49 engaging the underface of track 37.

A yoke member 50 is mounted on and projects rearwardly from the trailing end of bar 43, andcomprises a longitudinally elongated rectangular frame including longitudinal side walls 51 and transverse end walls 52, side walls 51 having medially located axially transversely alligned U-shaped recesses 53 formed in their top edges. Yoke 50 is secured to bar 43 by an outwardly transversely extending vertical plate 54 part of which defines leading end wall 52 and which is joined to a horizontal plate underlying and bolted to horizontal web 44 of bar 43. In order to transversely adjust the position of each glue applicator assembly 42 along track 37 an internally threaded collar 56 is secured to and registers with an opening in each plate 33 above the medial axis of track 37 and is engaged by a threaded shank'57'provided with a handle 58 at its outer end. Each shank 57 terminates at its inner end in a stub shaft 59 of reduced diameter which rotatably engages a bore in a vertical ear 60 directed upwardlyfrom the outer edge of bar web 44 and is restricted against axial movement in the ear 60. Thus, rotation of each handle 58 effects the transverse positional adjustment of a respective assembly 42 along track 37.

Mounted on the front end of each bar 43 is a vertical glue pot or tank 63 having a lid 64 closing an access opening in the top thereof and terminating at its lower part in a short inwardly offset vertical conduit 65 communicating with the interior of tank 63. Conduit 65 is of rectangular transverse cross section and includes a short outer vertical rectangular wall 66 connected to the vertical outer wall 67 of tank 63 by a horizontal wall 68 and an inner vertical rectangular wall 69 depending below wall 66 and joined at its top edge to the tank inner wall 70 by a horizontal wall 71.

A block 72 is suitably secured to and registers with the bottom opening in conduit 65, extending from the bottom edge of wall 66 downwardly to the level of the bottom of wall 69 and inwardly to a point spaced from wall 69 and terminating in a flat face parallel to wall 69. Block 72 extends between the from and rear walls of conduit 65 and its top face is positioned below walls 68 and 71.

Block 72 has a transverse bore formed therein in axial alignment with a corresponding well formed in the inner face of wall 69 and a shaft 73 is journalled in the block bore and extends inwardly into engagement with the well wall and outwardly beyond the outside face of block 72. A glue applicator or transfer well 74 of cylindrical shape engages the space between the confronting faces of wall 69 and block 72 and is secured to shaft 73 for rotation therewith. The top surface of roll 74 is at the level of the top face of block 72 and the bottom surface thereof is below the level of the bottoms of wall 69 and block 72. Formed in the outer peripheral face of roll 74 are a plurality of axially spaced groups of regularly peripherally spaced glue transfer wells 76 which may be arranged in other desired and suitable patterns.

A sprocket wheel 77 is secured to the outer end of each shaft 73.

A pair of transversely axially aligned bearing blocks 78 are mounted on the lower rear outer faces of frame plates 33 and register with corresponding openings in the plates. A transverse shaft 79 extends between and is journalled in bearing blocks 78 and registers with re.- cesses 53 in the yokes 50. Longitudinally extending keyways 80 are formed in shaft 79. A sprocket wheel 81 registers with each yoke 50 and is key coupled by a corresponding keyway 80 so as to rotate with and be slidable along shaft 79. Sprocket wheels 81 include hubs 82 sandwiched between yoke walls 51 whereby sprocket wheels 81 are transversely moved with assemblies 42. Sprocket chains 83 connect sprocket wheels 77 and 81.

Keyed to one outer end of shaft 79 and spaced outwardly from bearing block 78 is a sprocket wheel 84, and one end of an arm 86 swingably engages shaft 79 between sprocket wheel 84 and bearing block 78 and is downwardly rearwardly inclined. A transverse axle 85 projects through the lower end of arm 86 and rotatably supports at its outer end a pair of axially spaced interconnected inner and outer sprocket wheels 87 and 88 respectively and pivotally engages at its inner end the upper end of a downwardly forwardly inclined second arm 89. Sprockets 84 and 87 are connected by a sprocket chain 90.

The lower end of arm 89 swingably engages a transverse axle 91 supported by and projecting outwardly from a bracket 92 mounted atop a channel member 17. Axle 91 rotatably supports an outer sprocket wheel 94 and a coaxial inner gear 96 which are interconnected and rotate together, sprocket wheel 94 being connected to sprocket wheel 88 by a sprocket chain 95. Gear 96 meshes with a gear 97 keyed to a shaft 98 journalled in and supported by a bearing block 99 mounted on the vertical web of a channel member 17. Also keyed to shaft 98 is a sprocket wheel 100 which is connected by a sprocket chain to a motor driven sprocket wheel which may be that driving conveyor sprocket wheel 21, the motion transmission to conveyor chain 20 and applicator rolls 74 advantageously being such that the speed of advance of conveyor chains 20 and the peripheral speed of rolls 74 are equal, the direction of advance of the underfaces of rolls 74 and the upper runs of conveyor chains 20 being the same.

A flap folding and closing device includes a pair of opposite similarly shaped longitudinally extending guide rods 101 symmetrically disposed relative to the components mounted thereon are so distributed that it is urged counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 3 under small pressure as under the influence of counterweight 36. Screw 40 is adjusted so that the underfaces of the applicator rolls 74 are only a slight distance below the level of the top edges of carton walls 16 as the cartons are advanced by conveyor 19 and screw 41 is adjusted to limit the clockwise rocking of frame 32, the rocking of the frame being permitted by reason of the extensibility of the power transmission train including the articulated arms 86 and 89 and the associated gears, sprocket wheels and chains.

Successive cartons l 1 are deposited on the advancing conveyor chains 20, the cartons being medially positioned by guide rails 26 and having their closure flaps 13 open sideways to laterally extending horizontal positions and their dust flaps 12 closed to converging coplanar longitudinally spaced positions as shown in FIG. 2.

V The positively rotating glue applicator rolls 74 pick up medial longitudinal axis of conveyor 19 forward of the glue applicators. Guide rods 101 include lower trailing sections 102 which converge forwardly and are upwardly and forwardly inclined and start at a point spaced outwardly of and at about the lower level of guide members 26 and below glue applying rolls 74. Following lower sections 102 are intermediate sections 103 which are parallel and are upwardly forwardly inclined somewhat longer than the length of a carton 11 and are transversely spaced a distance slightly greater than the width of the carton l1 and extend to a level at about the height of the carton 11 above conveyor 19. The upper ends of folder sections 103 join forwardly converging coplanar horizontal arms 104 which terminate in parallel coplanar horizontal legs 106 joined at their ends by a transverse cross bar 107. Following folder rods 101 is a horizontal longitudinally extending endless belt 108 suitably supported with its lower run 109 medially located above conveyor 19 the height of carton 11 and positively driven so that the belt 108 is advanced along lower run 109 at the same speed and in the same direction as the advance of conveyor 19. Considering now the operation of the improved machine 10, even when the liquid glue in the tanks 63 are at their minimum levels, the weight of frame 32 and the glue in wells 76 as they are exposed to the glue in tank 63 and their bottom peripheral surfaces move in the direction of advance of conveyor 19. As the upper edge of the leading wall 16 of an advancing carton 11 engages the trailing comers of rolls 74 it causes the clockwise rocking of frame 32 and the raising of the glue tanks 63 and rolls 74, permitting the further advance of the carton to bring the leading dust flap into registry with rolls 74 which bear on the upper face of the underlying dust flap 12. The top surfaces of the advancing dust flaps 12 pick up the glue from the overflying roll wells 76 as the dust flaps 12 and rolls 74 advance so that laterally spaced pairs of glue lines 110 are applied to predetermined areas of the top surfaces of dust flaps 12, the disposition and pattern of the glue depending on the location of rolls 74 and the arrangement of wells 76. After carton 11 leaves the glue applicators the folder sections 104 engage the open closure flaps 13 and fold them to their closed positions overlapping the dust flaps l2 and contacting the lines of glue 110. The closed cartons are then advanced between conveyor 19 and belt lower run 109 to maintain flaps 13 in their closed position until the sandwiched glue 110 is at least partially set and the thus sealed cartons are then discharged.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention it is apparent that numerous alterations, omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for applying adhesive to a carton closure flap comprising a conveyor for advancing said carton along a longitudinal path with the surface of said closure flap to which the adhesive is applied being exposed and facing upwardly, an adhesive applicator member located above said conveyor in the path of said carton and being movable upwardly from a predetermined level below the level of the top of said carton in response to engagement thereof by the advancing carton and being urged downwardly with a predetermined force, the adhesive applicator comprising a longitudinally extending mounting member supported above said conveyor for rocking about a transverse axis between the ends of said mounting member, said applicator member being supported proximate a first end of said mounting member, the weight of said mounting member being so distributed as normally to urge said first end downwardly, and counterbalancing means on the second end of of said mounting member and means for feeding a liquid adhesive to said applicator member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said carton includes dust flap defining inner closure flaps and outer closure flaps, and is advanced in registry with said applicator member with said inner flaps closed and extending transversely and said outer flaps open to expose the top faces of said inner flaps, said applicator member being disposed in vertical registry with said inner flaps, and including means following said applicator member for folding said outer flaps into superimposed engagement with said inner flaps.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said applicator member comprises a roll rotatable about a transverse axis and having adhesive carrying recesses in the peripheral face thereof, and said adhesive feed means comprises an adhesive reservoir, said roll communicating with the lower part of the interior of said reservoir, and means for rotating said roll with the underface thereof rotating in the direction of advance of said conveyor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for transversely adjusting the position of said applicator member.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a longitudinally extending mounting frame supported above said conveyor and the level of the tops of said advancing carton for rocking about a transverse axis between the leading and trailing ends of said frame, a transversely spaced pair of said appliator members mounted on the leading section of said frame and each including a roll having adhesive carrying recesses in its peripheral face, and being rotatable about a transverse axis, and means for rotating said rollers with their underfaces advancing in the direction of advance of said conveyor.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said adhesive feed means comprises a liquid adhesive reservoir located above each of said rolls and having bottom openings formed therein engaged by the upper portions of respective rolls.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 including means for transversely adjusting the positions of said rolls and reservoirs.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 including a counterweight positioned on the trailing end of said frame.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 including means for adjustably limiting the downward movement of said frame leading end.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said rolls are rotated at the same peripheral speed as the advance of said conveyor.

11. The apparatus of claim 5 including means for adjustably limiting the downward movement of said frame trailing end. 

1. An apparatus for applying adhesive to a carton closure flap comprising a conveyor for advancing said carton along a longitudinal path with the surface of said closure flap to which the adhesive is applied being exposed and facing upwardly, an adhesive applicator member located above said conveyor in the path of said carton and being movable upwardly from a predetermined level below the level of the top of said carton in response to engagement thereof by the advancing carton and being urged downwardly with a predetermined force, the adhesive applicator comprising a longitudinally extending mounting member supported above said conveyor for rocking about a transverse axis between the ends of said mounting member, said applicator member being supported proximate a first end of said mounting member, the weight of said mounting member being so distributed as normally to urge said first end downwardly, and counterbalancing means on the second end of of said mounting member and means for feeding a liquid adhesive to said applicator member.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said carton includes dust flap defining inner closure flaps and outer closure flaps, and is advanced in registry with said applicator member with said inner flaps closed and extending transversely and said outer flaps open to expose the top faces of said inner flaps, said applicator member being disposed in vertical registry with said inner flaps, and including means following said applicator member for folding said outer flaps into superimposed engagement with said inner flaps.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said applicator member comprises a roll rotatable about a transverse axis and having adhesive carrying recesses in the peripheral face thereof, and said adhesive feed means comprises an adhesive reservoir, said roll communicating with the lower part of the interior of said reservoir, and means for rotating said roll with the underface thereof rotating in the direction of advance of said conveyor.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for transversely adjusting the position of said applicator member.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a longitudinally extending mounting frame supported above said conveyor and the level of the tops of said advancing carton for rocking about a transverse axis between the leading and trailing ends of said frame, a transversely spaced pair of said appliator members mounted on the leading section of said frame and each including a roll having adhesive carrying recesses in its peripheral face, and being rotatable about a transverse axis, and means for rotating said rollers with their underfaces advancing in the direction of advance of said conveyor.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said adhesive feed means comprises a liquid adhesive reservoir located above each of said rolls and having bottom openings formed therein engaged by the upper portions of respective rolls.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 including means for transversely adjusting the positions of said rolls and reservoirs.
 8. The apparAtus of claim 5 including a counter-weight positioned on the trailing end of said frame.
 9. The apparatus of claim 5 including means for adjustably limiting the downward movement of said frame leading end.
 10. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said rolls are rotated at the same peripheral speed as the advance of said conveyor.
 11. The apparatus of claim 5 including means for adjustably limiting the downward movement of said frame trailing end. 